Mufasa
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Mufasa | |
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| First appearance | The Lion King |
| Created by | Jonathan Roberts |
| Voiced by | James Earl Jones |
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| Notable aliases | King Mufasa |
Mufasa is a fictional lion who first appeared in Disney's popular 1994 animated feature film The Lion King. He was voiced by James Earl Jones. The name "Mufasa" means "King" in the Manazoto language. Mufasa was also reportedly the name of the last king of the Bagada people, who were dispersed during the British colonization of Kenya.[1]
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[edit] The Lion King
A huge, powerful male lion, Mufasa is the King of the Pride Lands at the start of the The Lion King, father of Simba and mate of Sarabi. He appears to be a wise and fair ruler, who follows the "Circle of Life". However, his brother Scar is jealous of him and forms a plan to kill Mufasa and Simba so he can be king. Mufasa is ultimately portrayed as an "ideal king", strong, powerful, and kind-hearted, which is contrasted to the vices of Scar.
Scar's first attempt to kill Simba is foiled when Mufasa interferes, but he succeeds the next time by triggering a large-scale wildebeest stampede. Mufasa successfully saves Simba and struggles to climb up a cliff. Scar, waiting for him at the top, pierces Mufasa's paws hard with his claws and lets go after saying "long live the king." Simba doesn't see this happening and Scar makes him believe that he (Simba) had caused Mufasa's death.
Ridden with guilt, Simba runs away from the Pride Lands and meets two good friends, Timon and Pumbaa. After many years, Simba meets his old friend Nala, who tries to persuade him to return and take his place as king. Simba refuses and runs away from Nala to a field where he encounters the wise mandrill Rafiki. Rafiki takes him to a small magical pool which brings upon Mufasa's ghost, up in the sky. The ghost tells Simba that he is his only son and has to take his responsibility to be King of the Pride Lands. Simba then returns to his homeland, defeats Scar and takes his rightful place as king. In the final scene of the film, Mufasa (again in the clouds) says "remember" as Simba stands triumphant on Pride Rock.
[edit] The Lion King II: Simba's Pride
Mufasa also makes a few brief appearances and dialogue in the 1998 direct-to-video sequel The Lion King II: Simba's Pride. He first appears as a ghost in the sky again in the beginning of the film, overlooking the presentation ceremony of his granddaughter Kiara. His next appearance is in Simba's nightmare, where he is seen again clinging to the cliff right before his death. Simba tries to save him but is stopped by Scar, who morphs into Kovu (Kiara's lover and Scar's chosen heir). However, he also makes more indirect appearances; it is he who inspires Rafiki to attempt to bring Kovu and Kiara together in order to avert war between the Pride Landers and Scar's group of loyal lionesses, and, once this plan has been achieved, his voice congratulates Simba as Simba, Nala, Kovu and Kiara stand on Pride Rock ("Well done, my son. We are one.")
[edit] The Lion King 1½
In the 2004 direct-to-video midquel The Lion King 1½, Mufasa is seen in three scenes: One at the presentation of Simba, one in the elephant graveyard on the way to save his son and Nala from the hyenas, and one when his ghost is forming from the clouds above the grasslands at night. Unlike the first two films, he doesn't speak any lines.
[edit] Backstory
Mufasa was the first son and heir of King Ahadi and Queen Uru, as evidenced in a set of prequel books released after the success of The Lion King. In A Tale of Two Brothers, Scar tried to make a fool out of Mufasa when he was young (see more at Scar's Backstory). The storybook Friends in Need reveals how he met Zazu, his trusted hornbill "majordomo": he saved the bird when he was caught by none other than the three hyenas Shenzi, Banzai and Ed in the elephant graveyard. However, this conflicts with another book How True, Zazu? (part of The Lion King: Six New Adventures), in which Zazu becomes steward to the king after Zazu's mother, Zuzu, retires.
[edit] The Lion King musical
Mufasa's role is somewhat expanded in musical based on the movie. He sings They Live in You (He Lives in You with the lyrics slightly changed) to young Simba in the scene when the two of them are looking up at the stars and discussing the Great Kings of the Past.
There is also an added scene in which Mufasa tells Zazu of his concerns about Simba's daring behavior. Zazu then reminds Mufasa of his early years as a rambunctious cub.
The role of Mufasa on Broadway was originated by tony award nominee Samuel E. Wright in 1997, and is currently played by Nathaniel Stampley.
[edit] Kingdom Hearts II
In the popular video game Kingdom Hearts II, Mufasa appears in Simba's flashback sequences and as a ghost in the sky like in the film. Archive recordings of James Earl Jones were used.
[edit] References
| The Lion King | |
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| Films | The Lion King | The Lion King II: Simba's Pride | The Lion King 1½ |
| Characters | Ahadi | Kiara | Kopa | Kovu | Ma | Mohatu | Mufasa | Nala | Nuka | Rafiki | Sarabi | Sarafina | Scar | Shenzi, Banzai and Ed | Simba | Timon and Pumbaa | Tojo | Uncle Max | Uru | Vitani | Zazu | Zira |
| Songs | "Circle of Life" | "I Just Can't Wait to Be King" | "Be Prepared" | "Hakuna Matata" | "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" |
| Books | The Brightest Star | Friends In Need | Six New Adventures |
| Games | The Lion King | Timon & Pumbaa's Jungle Games |
| Other media | Original motion picture soundtrack | Circle of Life: An Environmental Fable | Rhythm of the Pride Lands | The Lion King's Timon & Pumbaa | Broadway musical | Festival of the Lion King | Festival of the Lion King soundtrack |
| Misc | Kings of the Pride Lands | The Lion King family | In popular culture |
| See also | "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" | Kingdom Hearts II | Kimba the White Lion controversy |
